All posts tagged ‘stereotype’

“People who know me know / That I try not to say too much just with my clothes.” –Hank Green

Ask a random stranger to describe a quintessential geek and, after they ask what quintessential means, they may cheerfully describe a scrawny, bespectacled introvert wearing ill-fitting clothes that might look stylish…on their grandparents. However, if the random stranger happens to be a geek, they may already know the definition of quintessential, and they will probably be wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

I think Hank Green sings it best in hhis upbeat ode, T-Shirt and Jeans:

Many of our daily conversations are dominated by some combination of these four topics: Our homes, our partners, our children, and our appearance. This is particularly true for women, as social pressures drive us to focus on these things above all else. However, habit can become stifling, and it’s probably not healthy to fulfill any stereotype too well.

So here’s the challenge: Go one day without talking about your home, your partner, your children, or your appearance. Do what you must to make it happen. If you find yourself veering into a conversation about these things, change the subject to one of your other interests. Plan ahead to keep yourself busy with or distracted by something new!

It’s just one day. It may not even be hard. But it might be interesting, it might be fun, and it might add a little self-appreciation to the things that already matter to us. And who knows? We might find we have even more of interest in common than our everyday lives suggest.

Online identity is such a big deal that I prefer to lampoon the whole concept. I use the most ridiculous screen names possible (although when I tried to register as GrannyPanties a few weeks ago a fellow jester had taken it). Identity isn’t just linked to the names we choose, it’s also tied to the provider we use. The Oatmeal has a great infographic on this, but now there’s an algorithm to make blatant assumptions more precisely. See if you match up to the stereotypes. Check out the data provided by HunchBlog.com on email domain use. Or click over to their interactive version. Only half the stereotypes apply to this gmail-using farm girl. Below is Hunch Blog’s “Snapshot of Findings:”

AOL users are most likely to be overweight women ages 35-64 who have a high school diploma and are spiritual but not religious. They tend to be politically middle of the road, in a relationship of 10+ years, and have children. AOL users live in the suburbs and haven’t traveled outside their own country. Family is their first priority. AOL users mostly read magazines, have a desktop computer, listen to the radio, and watch TV on 1-3 DVRs in their home. At home, they lounge around in sweats. AOL users are optimistic extroverts who prefer sweet snacks and like working on a team.

Gmail users are most likely to be thin young men ages 18-34 who are college-educated and not religious. Like other young Hunch users, they tend to be politically liberal, single (and ready to mingle), and childless. Gmail users live in cities and have traveled to five or more countries. They’re career-focused and plugged in — they mostly read blogs, have an iPhone and laptop, and listen to music via MP3s and computers (but they don’t have a DVR). At home, they lounge around in a t-shirt and jeans. Gmail users prefer salty snacks and are introverted and entrepreneurial. They are optimistic or pessimistic, depending on the situation.

Hotmail users are most likely to be young women of average build ages 18-34 (and younger) who have a high school diploma and are not religious. They tend to be politically middle of the road, single, and childless. Hotmail users live in the suburbs, perhaps still with their parents, and have traveled to up to five countries.They mostly read magazines and contemporary fiction, have a laptop, and listen to music via MP3s and computers (but they don’t have a DVR). At home, Hotmail users lounge around in a t-shirt and jeans. They’re introverts who prefer sweet snacks and like working on a team. They consider themselves more pessimistic but sometimes it depends on the situation.

Yahoo! users are most likely to be overweight women ages 18-49 who have a high school diploma and are spiritual, but not religious. They tend to be politically middle of the road, in a relationship of 1-5 years, and have children. Yahoo! users live in the suburbs or in rural areas and haven’t traveled outside their own country. Family is their first priority. They mostly read magazines, are almost equally likely to have a laptop or desktop computer, listen to the radio and cds, and watch TV on 1-2 DVRs in their home. At home, Yahoo! users lounge around in pajamas. They’re extroverts who prefer sweet snacks and like working on a team. Yahoo! users are optimistic or pessimistic, depending on the situation.